2022

In the past year, the EU has become increasingly important for universities. In turn, universities, through their research, innovation and education, have become more central to EU policymaking. Key initiatives, from the EU strategy for universities to digital and health policies, have had major implications for research and higher education. Moreover, the war in Ukraine has changed geopolitics profoundly, forcing universities to reassess their position and approaches regarding international relations. Through its working groups and the leadership of the General Assembly, The Guild engaged with a growing range of policy areas, while also bringing new depths to our work on Horizon Europe and Erasmus+, alongside the European Research and Education Areas. Finally, last year also brought significant advances to our collaboration; internally, and with our close partner, the African Research Universities Alliance.

Contributing to MEP Christian Ehler’s report on the implementation of the European Innovation Council (EIC), The Guild calls for the EIC to better recognise the role of universities’ technology transfer offices as key actors in the emergence of breakthrough innovations.

After two years of virtual meetings, The Guild had the pleasure to host its Presidents in person at the General Assembly meeting on 7-8 June 2022. On the agenda were many key topics from the Green Deal to foreign interference and the research assessment reform.

How can universities manage the tensions and expectations regarding international orientation and local embeddedness, where has the Bologna Process brought us, and what should be the next phase? These were some of the key themes discussed in our virtual seminar, hosted by the University of Tübingen.

The Guild expresses concerns about the provisions in the Horizon Europe grant agreement that give ‘EIC inventors’ indefinite royalty-free access rights. Ensuring that universities across Europe have well-functioning knowledge and technology transfer offices would be a better approach to maximise the exploitation of research results.

Ahead of the June Competitiveness Council, where the ministers will be invited to adopt conclusions on research assessment and implementation of Open Science policies, The Guild urges the member states to ensure that Open Access serves science, not publishers.

The Guild welcomes the publication, on Tuesday 3rd May, of the European Commission’s proposal for a regulation on the European Health Data Space (EHDS). While contributing to the building of the European Health Union, the proposal recognises the particular sensitivities of health data and the ethics of its use. The Guild fully underlines the urgency of finding solutions to unleash the full potential of shared health data to help scientists develop new treatments for patients and improve the wellbeing of citizens in Europe.

The German U15, The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, and Udice emphasise the necessity to strengthen international cooperation in research to meet global challenges.

The Guild welcomes the Council conclusions on a European strategy empowering higher education institutions for the future of Europe. We particularly welcome the expressed desire for Europe to be a safe haven for the freedom of scientific research and democratic values. Europe must stand out as a place where universities are supported through European and national schemes to welcome students, researchers and academics whose freedom is under threat.

The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities joins a coalition of organisations representing Europe’s universities and other organisations enabling, funding and performing research to issue an urgent call to exclude not-for-profit research and research-enabling services from the obligations of the Digital Services Act.

This week, the EU member states will discuss how to best coordinate their responses to cross-border health threats. The Guild highlights that lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic must be drawn in this regard and that the EPSCO Council and the Working Party on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices should give a stronger impetus to initiatives aimed at facilitating larger and multinational clinical trials. We urge the member states and the European Commission to address critical obstacles that researchers are facing when conducting multinational clinical trials, particularly regarding the sharing and reuse of health data.

Universities’ role in the changing geopolitical situation was the key theme as The Guild’s Vice-Presidents gathered for their second meeting this year on 17 March.

The Guild issues a set of recommendations for concrete support measures to help staff and students from Ukraine, urging the European Commission, the French Presidency of the Council, and the national governments to support universities effectively and flexibly.

Phasing out the use of animals in research would put health research in Europe under major threat while alternative animal-free methods that are scientifically valid do not yet exist.

The Guild suggests definitions of key terms to support universities in achieving more diversity, equity and inclusion.

On 2 March 2022, The Guild’s seminar series on education continued with a fourth virtual event, hosted by the University of Glasgow. The key question discussed during the debate was how universities can design learning spaces that enhance active learning.

As the war has forced many Ukrainians to flee their homes, Guild universities are providing concrete support to enable Ukrainian researchers, academics, university staff and students to continue their lives, work, and careers to the best of their ability under traumatic circumstances.

Here is an updated list of actions the universities have taken.

The Guild wishes to draw attention to the open letter signed by Russian scientists condemning the war. The Guild fully supports them as they “demand an immediate halt to all military operations directed against Ukraine. We demand respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state. We demand peace for our countries. Let's do science, not war!”.

The Guild voices its concerns on the Commission’s proposal for a Data Act, urging fair access to privately held data for research purposes.

Many university presidents across The Guild member universities have responded with shock and alarm to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Guild calls on Europe’s governments, and the EU, to enable our universities to support Ukrainian students and staff on our campuses, and through the provision of distance education where needed.

Just ahead of the EU-AU summit, The Guild and African Research Universities Alliance’s (ARUA) panel discussion, organised on 14 February 2022, provided a timely outlook on what is needed to further strengthen African universities and African-European university collaborations in the long-term.

Through the proposed AU-EU Innovation Agenda, announced on 14 February ahead of the AU-EU summit, universities are assuming a central place in the development of AU-EU relations.

Ahead of the EU-AU summit (17-18 February 2022), sixteen leading universities in Africa urge African governments and the African Union (AU) to support the development of Clusters of Excellence and the expansion of research infrastructure in African universities, endorsing the joint initiative of The Guild and ARUA.

The Guild joins top researchers and the heads of higher education institutions across Europe in calling for an open and collaborative research and innovation landscape that is free from political barriers.